Certain applications utilizing microwave signals require the production of a very high frequency signal in the microwave range. In general, the efficiency of producing a high frequency signal becomes less as the frequency of the signal increases. Therefore, the use of a frequency multiplier device with relatively high conversion efficiency can be a practical approach to the production of high frequency microwave signals. One type of microwave frequency multipliers is described in a white paper proposal entitled "High Power, High Efficiency, Monolithic Quasi-Optical Frequency Triplers Using Microwave Power Module Drivers" by N. C. Luhman, Jr. dated Feb. 27, 1996. The frequency multiplier described in this paper is an elongate waveguide device, which includes input and output filters and a multiplier array comprising diodes with antenna leads. A cavity multiplier, which does not utilize switching, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,731,752 entitled "Microwave Signal Frequency Multiplier."
There exists a need for a switched, microwave frequency multiplier, which can store energy at a frequency which is a multiple of a source signal and selectively release this energy when required.